Big City, Part-Time Pastors and Two Dinner Churches with Ben and Jordan Arias
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Show Notes
What does it take for bivocational leaders to build a thriving Dinner Church in the heart of a big city? In this episode, Ben and Jordan Arias share their journey from small-town Georgia to urban Chicago, where they planted two Dinner Churches. They discuss the challenges and rewards of bivocational leadership, the unexpected family they found in Chicago, and the powerful role of Dinner Church in their own lives.
Now back in Georgia, Ben and Jordan are opening their own table for a new kind of “Passover,” inviting neighbors and family to experience church as an expression of identity and calling. Listen in for an inspiring story of faith, community, and transformation.
Ben and Jordan Arias started their Dinner Church journey 6 years ago. After attending a Dinner Church encounter and immersion in Seattle, they were ready to set the table in Chicago. Alongside their leadership at Hope Church Lagrange, Ben and Jordan helped plant and pastor 2 dinner churches. They are excited to see what God has next for them in North Georgia. Married for 10 years, they love their cat Guppie.
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Interview Summary
"We always knew that the essence of our dinner church was keeping our table open at home. If this season requires us to wait before we can establish one in our current city, then our door will remain open and our table ready to welcome anyone who needs it." - Jordan
In this insightful episode of the Dinner Church podcast, Verlon Fosner delves into the transformative world of dinner churches—a model of church that combines food, fellowship, and faith in a communal setting. We explore the journey of Ben and Jordan Arias, a husband-and-wife team who have spearheaded this initiative, transitioning from traditional church settings to dinner churches in urban environments.
Verlon Fosner, Director of the Dinner Church Collective, leads us through a compelling discussion about the challenges and triumphs associated with setting up dinner churches. The couple’s experience offers profound insights into the potential of this church model to foster community and spiritual growth in diverse settings.
Reflection Questions
- What does hospitality mean to you, and how can you incorporate it into your community or spiritual practices?
- How can urban churches address the challenges of their environments while fostering close-knit communities?
- In what ways does the dinner church model align with the biblical practices of fellowship and breaking bread?
- What fears might you have about starting a new church model, and how can you address them?
- How can the principles of dinner church be adapted to rural or suburban settings?
- What steps can you take to explore or start a dinner church in your community?
